


Bat Wings and Power Rings

by Sidhewrites



Series: Born Bold [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Green Lantern (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Batlantern - Freeform, Batman never joined the Justice League, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Eventual Romance, Isolated!Batfam, Jason Todd is Robin, Jason is a little shit, M/M, Protective Bruce Wayne, The way to Batman's heart is through sass, along with caring about his kids, and not putting up with his shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-08-10 02:50:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20128138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sidhewrites/pseuds/Sidhewrites
Summary: Batman never joined the Justice League. He was more than fine with sticking with cleaning up Gotham. Which while disappointing to some of the League, they understood.But when a threat begins to make itself known in the universe, and is slowly zeroing in on Earth, the League has no choice but to ignore the Batman's warning of 'Stay out of Gotham.'And who better to send than resident hot head, and the only person more stubborn than Batman himself.Hal Jordan does not see what's so funny about this.





	1. Welcome to Gotham

**Author's Note:**

> For the isolated Bats prompt over on the Batfam Discord.

"Okay. Run it by me again," Hal floated in front of Clark and Diana, arms crossed over his chest. "Why do I have to be the one to go to Gotham to check whatever this is out?"

Clark crossed his arms, obscuring the red '**S**' on his chest. "There's less likely to be backlash from the..." he waved his hand as he tried to pick out an appropriate words. "Locals if we send someone that's human, if superpowered, than if one of our "_out of town_" members were to go in."

Hal could only roll his eyes at the implied quotation marks.

Diana interrupted before Hal could protest again. "This energy signature has been popping up all over the universe, not just in multiple places on Earth. You said so yourself. And as this sectors Lantern..." Diana trailed off as said Lanterns glare intensified, knowing he'd been caught out.

"Fine. But if I get killed and gutted by some man-bat, thing, or whatever Spooky is calling himself, I'm coming back to haunt all of you." He pointed at each of the League members in turn. Diana, Dinah, Oliver, and ending on Clark. "And I'll be ten times more annoying dead, as I am alive."

With those parting words, ringing like some sort of prophecy in the silent meeting hall, Hal Jordan departed. Heading for the special brand of crazy that was Gotham City.

The silence was only broken by the horrified squeak of Oliver, "**Ten** **TIMES**!"

* * *

  
Hal floated high above Gotham, gazing down at the haze covered city. The twinkling of street lights and buildings occasionally breaking through the dense cloud cover.

The League stayed out of Gotham as much as possible. It's local contingent of do-gooders had made it very clear what they thought of outside interference in **their** city's affairs.

Or at least, the man that started it all had made it clear. He wanted nothing to do with the League, be it with helping or accepting help. What his two sidekicks thought of it had not been up for discussion. Though going by the sharp grins on both of their faces, they had thought that the notion that they needed any kind of assistance, laughable.

The League for the most part, respected the Bats wishes. Until such a time as they couldn't. Like now.

Hal sighed and started to descend into the city, sinking through the clouds and haze that seemed to be perpetually stuck over Gotham. He made sure to stop directly above where the strange energy signature had registered from. He was hoping to get in and out without the local crazies learning he was even in town.

So to say that Hal screamed and almost jumped out of skin, when he's halfway through a more indepth scan, and felt a tap on his shoulder, would have been a massive understatement.

Hal whipped around, crouched and ready, construct bat gripped tight in his hands, only to be faced with...nothing. The roof top behind him was empty. 

He straightened, switched the bat to one hand, peered carefully around the rooftop.

Still nothing.

He sighed and shook his head, tried to shrug off the paranoia, and got back to work.

As he started up the scan again, he heard a scratching sound to his left, followed up by, "Ya ain't supposed t'be here. Thought Bats made that pretty clear."

Hal's hand shot up, a green ray of energy streaked towards the voice. He hit an air conditioning unit, but still nothing. No body, no movement. Just quiet.

A green booted foot catches him in the jaw, followed by a metal wire wrapping around his left foot, ripping his feet out from under him. He hits the roof on his side, face crunching against the gravel, rocks digging into the flesh just under his eye.

'_Wait...eye?_'

His hand goes up touching at his skin, fingers finding no mask. He looks down at his hand, and surprise and anger sweep through him in equal measure. 

His Ring is gone.

Hal looked up then, and finally got a look at his assailant.

Brown eyes widen in surprise as he sees the person who just dropped a fully powered Lantern on their ass.

A kid.

A small kid with wild, messy black hair, no older than 11, though it's hard to tell with a red domino mask hiding their eyes. The yellow cape stood out in the dark like a beacon, and the red and green tunic, didn't lend themselves to stealth much either.

'_How the fuck did I miss this kid. He's got more colours than a billboard?_'

Hal pushed himself to his feet, standing to his full height. Only to pause when he realised that he was trying to intimidate a child.

A child that ran around on rooftops, in shorts and a cape. A child that dropped him like a sack of potatoes with a well placed kick and a rope trick.

A child that still had his Ring in his hand and a smirk on his face.

"I'll be having that ring back now, kid."

The boy snorts, smirk widening. "Nah, don't think so." He stuck it into a pouch on his belt, then propped his hands on his hips. "Batman tol' th'League t'stay outta Gotham." Hal's eyes narrowed as the kid flaps a hand at him, gloved fingers giving a mock wave. "An' yet, here ya are, on our rooftops. So I'm gonna set it straight for ya one last time."

Hal shifted as the kid ranted, edging into a crouch so he could grab him. He waited until the small vigilante looked away briefly; then dove.

And watched as, without missing a beat, the kid leapt up, back arched, yellow cape fluttering around him, and flipped backwards over Hal. His one foot clipped the depowered Lanterns shoulder, sending him back to the rooftop to eat more gravel.

Hal looked over his shoulder, glaring as his new nemesis cackled, sounding like chaos and light.

"We don't need yer help, we don't wan' yer help. **Stay outta Gotham**."

Hal's reply was cut off by a sharp, deep, rolling growl of "Robin," just to his left.

Both Hal and the now named, Robin looked over to see the Batman himself, stepping out of the shadows, as if he was made from them, and not just a man in a highly stealth capable suit.

"B!"

Robin walked over to his mentors side, easily staying out of Hal's reach.

"What are you doing?" The man's voice is a deep baritone, with a slight gravel to it that makes the hair in Hal's arms stand on end.

"Nothin'." Robin shrugged, a slight bounce in his step. "Just makin' conversation, Boss. That's all."

The grin that Robin shot him made Hal clench his teeth and pinch his lips together, as he tried to keep from laughing.

'_Kid's a sassy little shit._'

"Hmm." Batman crosses his arms, looking down at his smaller partner.

Robin pouted as he crossed his arms. "Aww, yer no fun a'all."

"We're not out here for _fun_, Robin."

"I know, I know," Hal had to actually swallow a laugh as Robin flipped his cape over the lower half of his face and did an almost spot on imitation of Batman's deeper growl. "**No fun, only justice.**"

Batman raised his head slightly, as though praying to a higher power for patience. Then with the same growling baritone as before - a sound that Hal is definitely getting used to - looks back at Robin. "Give the Lantern back his Ring, and then get back to patrol. Peregrine could use your help in the Narrows."

"Ugh, fine. Your such a killjoy, B." He pulled the Ring from his belt, and tossed it back to Hal, who caught it easily. Robin finally takes the time to look at Hal, as he slips the Ring back on, and becomes Green Lantern once more.

The kid looked at Hal for a few more moments, then turned back to smirk at Batman, before heading for the roof's edge.

"Maybe you should take Peregrine's advice f'once an' get laid."

Hal choked. '_Did he just...suggest, what I think he suggested?!_'

"Patrol. Now." The tone didn't change and neither did the stance, but Robin was moving with much faster purpose as he jumped off the roof, a echoing cackle all that remained of his presence.

Hal had to mentally hold himself back from diving after him, and didn't bother hiding his sigh of relief when he heard the _clickwhirr_ of a grapple as it's fired. He only relaxed when he saw the form of Robin in the distance as he landed it on a distant rooftop.

"Kids. Right?"

Batman just gave him what Hal assumed was an unamused look from behind the cowl.

"What are you doing here?" Is what he said instead. "I thought I made my stance on the League interfering with Gotham perfectly clear."

'_Straight to business then. Fine._'

"You did. But League business trumps whatever self-declared no-mans-land you have going here."

"We can handle it."

Hal scoffed, rolling his eyes behind the mask, again. "No, I don't think you can. Run of the mill crooks, random metas with vendettas, sure." He smirked a bit at his own rhyme. "But not whatever this is. It's not just happening in Gotham, or even just on Earth-"

"I know."

"This same signature has been - You what?"

"I said, I know." A self-satisified smirk - that had no right being as attractive as it was - played at the corner of Batman's mouth. He raised one gauntleted arm and a holographic computer sprung to life. A glowing model of the Earth, floating in muted blue neon, blips of orange scattered across the surface. "The signature has appeared in Britain, Germany, Kenya, Greenland, Dubai, Japan, and New Zealand." He tapped his gauntlet again and the model of Earth shrunk and then expanded to show a wider view of the Sol System as a whole.

Hal could see more orange dots spread throughout the galaxy. With numbers floating next to them, that Hal realized were dates.

"It's also shown up on Mars, Jupiter, and Pluto. Someone's looking for something, and they're starting to zero in."

Hal blinked as the image faded out, leaving a faint imprint on his vision from where he'd been staring. "You have a satellite?"

"Who's to say I didn't just hack and hijack a government satellite?" The cowl arches a bit of Batman's right eyes, as he raises one brow, smirk still in place. 

A smirk the Lantern echoes mockingly. "The fact that you sound like you want to vomit just saying the word, _hijack_."

The smirk drops and the vigilante's eyes narrowed behind the cowl. The whiteouts slits of white, like stars in the dark, bright and ominous.

Hal's smirk widens, "Back to more pressing issues, Spooky -"

"One don't call me that." He brushed passed Hal heading for the roof's edge, one hand reaching into his cape and pulling out his own grapple gun. "Two. We don't need the Justice League's help to keep Gotham safe from existential threats."

Hal floated along behind him, arms crossed, still grinning. "So you have means ready and available to turn away a possible invasion?"

He watched in satisfaction as Batman's shoulders twitched, just a bit. '_Gotcha_.'

"No? What about a way to communicate in deep space in real time? Or the ability to deal with the weird, freaky, and often overpowered everything that tends to poke around the universe at this type of speed?"

The silence was almost deafening. "Didn't think so." Hal pushed up, leaping up and over Batman, turning and raising his hands, stopping him from leaping off the roof. "Look, I'm not asking you to stay out of it. That's just stupid at this point." Batman took a small step from the ledge, and Hal took that as permission to continue. "I'm not even asking you to let all of the League into Gotham. Just me. I can be a go between, so you don't have a bunch of us in your stomping grounds. And when this is done and over with. I'll go. It'll be like I wasn't even here. What I'm not asking for, is permission."

At that Batman glared again, Kevlar creaking as his fists clenched. "Listen, Lantern, if you think -"

"No you **listen**." Hal's hand cut through the air sharply. "Earth is part of my Sector of Space. I'm charged with its defence. This '_I am the night_' fear tactic **bullshit**,you have going on may work on the thugs you face, but it doesn't work on me." He floated forward forcing Batman further from the ledge, glowing green finger poking into light swallowing black Kevlar and Nomex.

"Now you can either work with me, and let this happen, and we get the job done, together. Or I do it anyway, without your help, and end up bringing in help I know I can trust." He pushes his finger hard into the bat emblazoned on the chest plate once more, forcing Batman back one more step as he lands. "But what I don't need is your blessing to do my God damned **job**."

The two stand in silence for several moments before Batman raises a two fingers to the side of his head.

"Peregrine. Robin. Finish your sweep of the Narrows and return to the cave."

He waited a beat before turning on his heel, heading for the other side of the roof. He paused at the edge and smirked back at the Lantern over his shoulder.

"Hope you can fly as fast as you talk."

Hal blinked in confusion as he watched Batman step off the ledge, trying to puzzle out his words. A few seconds later he heard an engine roar to life, and he flew over to the edge and peered down. He whistled at the sight below of the matte black beast of a vehicle, that dared call itself a car. He watched as fire spewed out the back, propelling the car forward at speeds he'd be regularly pulling in a jet on a leisurely fly.

His grin turned a bit manic with excitement as he took to the air, following in the cars wake easily. He brought his hand up to his own ear, tapping the JLA communicator that rests there, as he followed Batman out of Gotham.

"Lantern to Watchtower. You guys aren't gonna believe this."


	2. The Cave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had some inspiration for part 2.  
I also changed it up a bit, after I remembered that since Batman never joined the League Dick wouldn't have heard the story of Nightwing and Flamebird from Clark. So Nightwing is now Peregrine.  
And oh hey look, more plot, and finally some flirting, subtle, but it's there.

The Cave was brighter than it had a right to be, what with it being underground. The fluorescent lights were blinding, throwing light to even the darkest corners, illuminating the odd collection of memorabilia, and Hal didn't care when, or how, but he was gonna ride that dinosaur. He continued to float around, inspecting different aspects of the Cave, being careful not to actually touch anything.

He was acutely aware of how tenuous his invitation, not only to the Batman's base of operations, but in his city in general, was. So, he was being careful, which was new territory for him, about just how much of an asshole he could be. He’d gotten away with it out on the streets, but this was in the Bats **home**, and he was going to do his best not to overstay his welcome. 

Besides there was the Dinosaur to think of, and Hal wanted to meet Batman’s two sidekicks, without the threat of an ass-kicking involved. 

Hal floated over to where Batman was sitting, typing away at the giant computer, a suspected path of their mystery target, projected on the screen. He landed behind the chair, clasping his hands behind his back, looking at the dates tagged on the landing points. “So, they were deliberately making their way towards Earth then, going by these.” 

Batman nodded, fingers flying across the keyboard, bulky gauntlets not hindering him in the slightest. “Does the League have any idea what, whatever this is, might be looking for?” 

“As of right now, no, nothing concrete, anyway.” Hal let himself float again, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his knees. “Though there was an impact event about two months ago in Montana. Lex Corps got to it before the League could. Which considering we have Superman, is impressive.” Hal let himself drift until he was upside down. “Which lead us to think that Luthor was either in communication with whatever crash landed, or had been tracking it previously. Both are concerning.” 

“Hm. What if it was both?” Batman asked, as he started typing again, faster than before. “What day was the impact?” 

“May 19th.” 

Hal drifted a bit closer as Batman brought up the date of the impact, going through old satellite feeds, and started working backwards to try and find the trajectory of whatever crash-landed into a farm in mid-west Montana. It took only about ten minutes, but he extrapolated the route and saw that if whatever was coming second hadn’t made the stops it had, the trajectory would be almost identical. 

“Okay, so, target two is definitely looking for target one. But that still doesn’t tell us what, or who they are.” 

Batman pushed away from the computer and Hal floated out of the way, slowly righting himself when the Bat shot him an annoyed look from behind the whiteouts. “No. It just means we’ll have to go digging around Lex Corps for some answers.” 

“Did someone mention infiltration? I haven’t done that in a bit.” 

Hal jumped, hand going to his chest, his ring flaring brightly in response.

_ ‘ _ _ Shhh,__ no adrenaline. Bad.” _

He looked over his shoulder towards the voice that had suddenly appeared and was surprised to see Robin and another vigilante, standing in the middle of the Cave, as if they’d been there the whole time. 

Robin was still as bright and chaotic as he had been on the rooftop, a genuinely happy grin, with some bite around the edges on his face as he jogged over to the computer. He made a jump at the last second and landed easily on the back of the chair, crouched there, looking over the data Batman had left on the screen. 

The newcomer was taller than Robin by over half a foot, the colours of his suit were darker as well, geared more towards stealth than distraction. It was mostly black with a stylized grey bird on his chest, its wings stretching across his shoulders, and down his arms. The colour shifting from grey to a brighter blue the further down his arms it went, until it ended at bright blue fingerstripes over his middle and pointer finger. 

Hal glanced between the three of them, head tilting to the side, and he couldn't quite help the smirk that flitted across his face. “So...is it vampirism that makes you guys able to just pop in and out like that, or...” 

“We ain’t vampires, y’moron.” Robin glared at him over his shoulder, before letting a smirk settle back on his face. “Don’ try and come up wit’ outlandish theories, jus’ ‘casue yer not observant.” 

Hal’s eyes narrowed behind his own domino, turning to face Robin, who was cackling again. “Listen here, you little shit,” 

“Now, now Robin. We should play nice with our guests, make them feel, _welcome_.” Hal suppressed a flinch; he’d forgotten about the third vigilante again. Peregrine, the first Robin, if the League's files were right. He glanced over his shoulder, watched as Peregrine approached, hips swaying slightly, dangerous smirk on his face, feet soundless on the stone floor. His grin was sharper than Robin’s, though it still managed to be distracting, just in a different way. It was then that Hal realized how the three of them could control a city like Gotham, with no meta abilities between the three of them. 

Batman was the shadow, the fear and darkness in everyone’s hearts; he used it to his advantage, wore it like he did his cape and cowl. Robin was the light, the hope of the people, the need to believe in a better tomorrow. Peregrine was a mix between the two, the reality that there is light and dark in everything, in everyone, but it is how you balance the two, that defines you. 

“I honestly don’t think ‘play nice’ is in the kids vocab.’ Hal said, as he tried to shake off the odd introspection he had fallen into. “But let’s go back to the part where we’re apparently infiltrating Lex Corps.” 

Peregrine continued to smirk as he walked up the stairs, walking passed Hal and leaning against the computer, arms crossing over his chest. “Oh, no, not you, glowstick, me, and Bats. Maybe Robin, but definitely not you.” 

Hal looked over at Batman, seeing him watching the three of them, arms crossed over the symbol on his chest, a small amused grin on his face. “You’re not going to help at all are you?” 

“Hm, decidedly not.” The smirk grew a fraction, and Hal** _hated_** that he found it any kind of attractive. “You talked your way into working with us, surely you’re quick enough to talk around Peregrine.” 

“Ah, so the sarcasm is a learned behaviour, not a defence mechanism. Good to know.” Hal rolled his eyes, and moved his gaze from Batman back to Peregrine, doing his best to ignore the smirks of all three. “Look, feathers, this is League business. And as the only member of the League in this City, that means –” 

“That means exactly _dick_ to me, Mr. Leaguer.” Peregrine smirked just widened and Robin chuckled from the Bat’s shoulder. His eyes went hard as he pushed off the desk, stalking towards Hal. “I don’t know you, I don’t trust you. I don’t take help from people I don’t trust. You’re here on invitation, an invitation that can and will be revoked at anytime.” 

Hal grinned down at the shorter vigilante, letting his feet touch back down onto the metal steps. “Aww, are you trying to threaten me feathers? That’s cute, really.” 

Peregrine’s smile went a bit feral, and his gaze flicked up and down Hal’s form, before focusing back up on his face. “You really want to lose that Ring of yours for the second time in as many hours, huh?” 

Hal’s eyes narrowed behind his mask, and he angled himself so he could keep an eye on all three of them, just that much better. “I kind of want you to try.” 

Hal watched as Peregrine shifted his feet and Hal felt a shiver run down his spine. Nothing else about the boy’s stance changed, but Hal suddenly felt as though he was in the presence of a dangerous predator. 

Before either of them could move Batman’s voice rumbled out, no-nonsense, but amused, “Peregrine, enough.” 

Another twitch, a shift of Kevlar, and the predator left Peregrine’s frame and the tension bled out of the air. 

“No worries boss. You know I can_ play_.” The last word was said like a purr, a cat playing with a mouse. 

Batman shifted, shoulders going up just a bit higher, and Peregrine sighed, “You really need to learn to lighten up, B.” He turned back to Hal and was all business, no hint of a tease or threat, just straight-forward ready for action. Hal was getting whiplash trying to follow the thread of both the verbal and non-verbal conversations that were happening. 

“Now as I was saying. You want to run with us here, you need to play by our rules." He relaxed back against the desk, leaning back on his hands. "Outside Gotham, yeah sure, we’d maybe listen if you called the shots. Luckily, we don’t have to leave our fair city, there’s a branch of Lex Corps right here in Gotham.” 

Robin scoffed from his perch on the back of the chair, “Not like we’d need t’leave Gotham anyway t’get the information. We’d jus’ remote hack Luthor’s systems. It ain’t hard.” 

Peregrine tilted his head back, grinning upside down at Robin. “That’s true, Little Wing, it’s just way more fun to do it the other way.” 

“Hell yeah, it is!” 

Hal stared at the pair for several moments blankly, slowly processing all that he had heard, before letting a smile spread across his face. “I know I’m supposed to be a responsible adult, but my voices of reason are still in space so,” Hal clapped his hands, rubbing them together gleefully. “What’s the plan exactly?” 

Robin cackled in delight and rolled backwards off the chair, before popping back up and sitting cross-legged on the desk, next to the computer. 

Batman easily ignored the small form of his laughing protégé as he opened up a file and brought up the building schematics for the Gotham Branch of Lex Corps. “Get the information required from Luthor’s systems, return whoever he obviously abducted to the alien looking for them, and hopefully avoid an intergalactic war.” 

“I didn’t mean the overarching plan, Spooky, I meant the immediate get the info plan.” Hal rolled his eyes as he took to the air again, floating up behind the chair so he too could see the screen.

Batman twitched and shot a glare over his shoulder that Hal could feel through the cowl. “What did I say about calling me that?” 

He just grinned back, clasping his hands behind his head. “To not to, but I thought you would have realised by know that I don’t take orders I don't like.”

"Oh, I noticed." Batman muttered darkly under his breath and Hal fought back a laugh.

"Aw, don't be such a sour-puss Bats, you'll get wrinkles." 

Peregrine tilted his head, looking at Hal like he was seeing him for the first time. Then glanced between him and Batman twice. “Huh, Robin, I owe you fifty bucks.” 

“I told you!” Robin crowed, grin just a bit manic. 

Hal looked between the younger vigilante’s before turning a helpless look of confusion at the computer, knowing that Batman could see his expression against the dark back light of the screen. “Do I even want to know?” 

“Probably not.” 


	3. The Infiltration

Night still hung over Gotham, the sky now cloudless, and dark, like spilled ink. The Bat and his oldest Bird were on waiting in the shadows of a neighbouring building, as Hal and Robin, moved into position. Hal stood on a glowing green, construct platform that he guided towards the Lex Corps building in Gotham, Robin crouched next to his leg. The small vigilante easily kept his balance as Hal skillfully maneuvered the platform into position. As soon as they were close enough, Robin leapt to the windowsill and set about the task of disabling the security system and getting the window open. 

Hal let the construct dissolve and floated, waiting patiently as Robin worked. Watching him with the fascination of a five-year-old seeing a magic trick for the first time. “You really shouldn’t be that good at that when you’re what...ten?” Hal smirked at the dirty look Robin sent him over his shoulder. 

“Fuck you, ‘m thirteen!” Robin hissed back as he tapped at his gauntlet, numbers and letters flying across the floating led display. “Maybe y’jus’ need t’get yer eyes checked, old man.” 

“Thirteen and the size of your average 9-year-old? Pull the other one.” Hal felt like he may have put his foot in his mouth when he saw Robin’s shoulders go tense, and the teen turned back to the window, focusing on his task. 

Once Robin got the window open, he brought a hand up to his ear to tap the comms, ignoring the Lantern at his back completely. “A’ight, I’m in. Security’s also down on th’fifth story window. Nor’east corner.” 

Peregrine’s voice sounded in both Robin and Hal’s ears, “Good job, Little Wing. B and I are gonna take the lower levels, you and Glowstick see if you can find those files.” 

“Got it, Big Wing.” 

Hal ignored the guilty feeling in his gut for a moment to snark back, “How many times I got to say it, Feathers, it’s Green Lantern, not Glowstick.” 

Peregrine’s laughter was sharp over the comms, amused, but mean. “Ask me again and see if I care?” 

“Enough, all of you.” Batman’s gravelly disapproval cut off any further banter, even though Hal could _ hear _ Peregrine’s smirk over the comms. “We have a job to do, and not much time to do it in. Robin, keep an eye on the Lantern. In and out in 30 minutes, regardless of if we find anything.” 

“I getcha, Boss.” 

Hal sputtered as he followed Robin into the building, silently touching down once he was inside, hissing back a quiet, “I do not need supervision. I am a grown-ass man.” 

“Hn, if you insist.” Batman and Peregrine’s lines go silent and Hal is left fuming with a snickering Robin, as the kid made his way over to the desk. Robin is silent as he goes about booting up the computer’s systems, but it’s not the silence of someone not wanting to be caught. It’s the quiet of a kid that’s hurt and doesn’t want to bring attention to it. 

Hal sighs and comes to terms with the fact that he needs to apologize. He didn’t think the kid was that sensitive, what with running around a city like Gotham, in short pants and a cape, but even vigilantes in a city like Gotham have feelings. “Look kid,” 

“F’get it. Y’didn’ know. No harm no foul.” Robin still hadn’t looked at him, was focused on getting through the systems firewalls, now that the computer was online. Fingers dancing across the keys as words and files jumped to the small vigilante’s tune, like mice after the piper. 

Hal stepped up behind Robin, heading for the filing cabinets next to the desk. He constructed a key inside the lock and popped it open, pulling open the top drawer, looking for anything interesting that they could use. “I still should have left well enough alone, once you told me how old you are.”

“Shoulda, didn’, let’s move on, yeah?” Robin’s voice was strained as he continued to type. 

“Sure thing.” Hal paused briefly to look at a file, pulling it then putting it back when it turned up nothing interesting. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry though, if I offended you.” Hal continued to flip through the files for several minutes the silence stretching between him and his partner for the night. When he found nothing of interest to their needs in the drawer he was currently in, he closed it and moved on to the next one. 

“B says I’ll pro’ly always be short,” Robin’s voice was soft, but loud enough in the silent office that Hal almost slammed his fingers in the door, when he startled. “What with the malnutrition and what not, ‘fore he took me in, but m’healthy, and height ain’t everything.” 

“That’s true, I guess.” Hal really didn’t know what else to say, brown eyes wide behind his domino mask. Surprised that the kid had spoken at all, let alone such a personal detail. 

He could hear the smirk in the teen’s voice when he continued and any guilt Hal had left evaporated. “I mean, I kicked yer ass and ‘m’like 90lbs soakin’ wet. Though I don’t know if tha’s a point in m’favour or against you?” 

Hal turned away from the cabinet, planting one hand on his hip, while the other pointed an irritated finger at Robin’s back. “One. You are a sassy little shit, and you’re wasted on Gotham High Society. Two you didn’t kick my ass, you caught me off guard.” Hal threw up his hands in exasperated annoyance, before dropping them back onto his hips. “Who expects a kid in pixie boots and short pants to appear out of nowhere –like a vampire or a ghost – and drop kick them? I mean really.....hey kid what’s up?” Hal trailed off as he realized Robin had fallen silent, and was now staring at him intently. “Robin?” 

“What’d y’jus’ say?” And Hal’s impressed that the kid’s voice could sound that deadly, that dark, given that he hasn’t gone through puberty yet. 

“That you didn’t kick my ass?” 

“Not tha’ part!” Robin snapped, fingers pausing on the keyboard so he could glare at Hal properly. “The firs’bit, and yeah I _ did _.” 

“No, you _ didn’t _, and I said that you’re wasted on...oh. Oh fuck.” Hal paled a bit, more from embarrassment than actual worry for his safety. He hadn’t meant to let the Bat and his two sidekicks know that he figured out their secret, purely on accident, but he knew, and that would be what mattered. He'd be a liability, a leak that they couldn't have, if they wanted to continue the way they had been. 

He immediately held up his hands in an ‘_ I’m unarmed, don’t shoot me _ ’ gesture and hastened to explain himself. “I didn’t know before tonight; I figured it out on the way in from Gotham. I did fly to the Cave, after all, and it’s not like I just ignored the scenery. Kind of hard to miss a house ** that ** big. And it really could only belong to one person, what with it being in Gotham and all.” 

There’s a beep from the computer that thankfully interrupted Hal’s rambling, and Robin turned back to it. The keys clacked loudly in the following silence, as Robin brought up the file his search found, browsing the contents. He stuck a USB into the computer and copied the files, before backing out of the system, hiding his trail. 

He pointed the small drive at Hal, scowling like he might set the older man on fire. “We ain’t done our previous conversation. Not by a long shot.” Robin brought his hand to his ear, opening up the comm line again. “Big Wing, Bats, I got it.” 

Batman’s voice responded before Robin reached the window. “Get to the roof top, immediately.” 

The tense tone made both Robin and the Lantern pause, looking at the other briefly. “B, what’s -” He’s cut off by the sound of the office door kicking open, and the barrel of a machine gun muzzle pointing inwards. 

Hal moved before the door even finished swinging open, wrapping himself and Robin in a shield of impenetrable green light. The room and their comms echoed with the sound of gunfire, and Robin yelled his rage and fear. 

Hal watched as Robin pulled two small balls from his belt, and Hal without having to be asked raised the shield enough that the teen could throw them into the room. There was an explosion of smoke, a flash of light, and a lull in the gunfire. 

Robin was moving before the shield was even lowered all the way. Flipping up and over, landing among their assailants, fists and feet flying. 

Hal grabbed the muzzle of one of the semi-automatics, and smashed back against the face of the man who had been wielding it. Dropping him instantly. He turned to help take care of the other two, only to find his assistance was no longer required. Robin had already succeeded in subduing them, and was just finishing with zip-tying them together. 

The Lantern grinned as he popped the magazine out of the AR-15 out and crushed the gun inside a sphere of energy. “I take back every mean thing I may have thought about you, kid.” His grin stretched to match the feral one Robin was wearing. “Now let’s go help out Spooky and Feathers.” 


	4. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is the last installment of this story. Don't worry though, there will be other stories to tell in this universe, I already have a few planned out. But for now this story is done. Enjoy!

Hal followed behind Robin, trusting the young vigilante to know where his family was, since neither Peregrine or Batman were answering their  comms . They reached the stairwell to find the door locked. Robin punched at the keypad but it only flashed red at him. “Dammit! The  buildin’s gone  inta lockdown.”

“Here kid, back up. I’ll get the door.” Hal tugged at Robin’s shoulder, putting him behind him. His hand glowed green for a brief moment and then he was holding a chainsaw. He pinched it through the solid oak door, then pushed downwards, cutting through the locks.

He grinned, pleased with himself, and glanced back at Robin, bowing him through the door.

“Huh, guess  y’are more useful than jus’ a glorified flashlight,  afterall .” Robin smirked and ducked under Hal’s arm when the older man swiped at him.

“Brat.”

Robin grinned as he vaulted over the railing, flipping the man off with one hand, and shooting a grappled upwards with the other, using it to slow his descent as they headed for the fifth floor. Hal leapt after him, keeping pace easily, watching their backs to make sure no one tried to shoot at them from above. Hal took care of the other door, blasting it open.

Robin pushed off the railing and swung into the hallway, taking out a gunman, feet colliding with the man’s chest.

Hal followed in Robin’s wake, content to let him work out his worry in whatever manner he saw fit. He reached the man Robin had knocked over, and using a constructed fist, picked the gunman up, and shoved him up against the wall, holding them there easily. He tilted his head, letting the grin on his face go hard around the edges, and watched the man pale. “Now that I have your attention, I have a question. That you’re going to answer, without a fuss. Or I let the kid ask the next time, and he’s meaner than I am. Clear?”

The man glanced down at Robin, flinching when the boy grinned, all teeth, and cracked his knuckles. He nodded, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed convulsively. “Clear!”

“Good. Now, where are Peregrine and Batman?”

* * *

Peregrine kicked in a side door and ducked inside just as gunfire erupted in the hallway. An anticipatory smile flashed across his face as he reached into a pouch on his thigh, pulling out several small ball. He rolled them around his hand and grinned. He reached around and without looking tossed them down the hall. There was a loud bang followed by smoke, light, and yells of confusion.

He counted off to three in his head before diving back out into the hallway, using the smoke as a cover and his assailant’s blindness to his advantage. Picking through them one by one, until he was the only man left standing. Peregrine spun his  escrima stick around his hand before resting it against his shoulder, head tilting when he heard a click from further up the hall.

A sudden breeze blew down the hall, clearing out the smoke, leaving Peregrine standing above four downed men, guns and a few knives scattered across the carpeted floor, and Robin and Green Lantern at the far end, standing on either side of a glowing green fan.

Peregrine spun on a foot, heading towards the other two. A man groaned as he passed and a casual kick to his face, put the suit back on the floor. “Rob, I thought B told you to go to the roof top.” His eyes were narrowed behind his domino mask, mouth a flat, disapproving line.

Robin crossed his arms across his chest, scowl on his face, but he wasn’t really looking up at the older vigilante. “’e did, but  tha ’ was ‘fore  y’were both  gettin ' shot at.”

Peregrine reached the pair, staring down at Robin imperiously for a few moments, before his demeanor shifted with a twitch of his shoulders and he was smiling. “Aww, were you worried about us, Little Wing?”

“No! I jus’ know  yer both useless without me ‘round.” Robin shoved Peregrine’s hand off his head when the older teen went to ruffle his hair. “Where’s B?”

“We were separated earlier. I stayed on this floor and I think Batman went to the basement.” Peregrine glanced behind them up the hall, ensuring the hall was clear for the time being. “Turns out there’s a reason the trail went cold in Gotham. They tricked our second out of town guest into thinking his buddy was here. B went to go bust him out.”

“Right and that’s my cue.” Hal ruffled Robin’s hair as he stepped away, turning back towards the stairwell, feet already lifting off the ground. “Which way did your old man go, Feather’s.”

“Excuse me?” Peregrine’s voice, which had been playful before, was a low rumble, like that of a waking predator.

Hal crossed his arms, turning in the air, still hovering a few inches off the ground. “You heard me kid.”

“Yeah, I did. I was giving you a chance to rephrase yourself.”

“There isn’t anything to rephrase. While Lex, and goons like these,” he motioned at the prone and unconscious guards around them. “Are things you two can easily handle. A pissed off Alien, of unknown origin, trying to get to its friend? Yeah, no, that’s not something I’m letting two kids get involved in. I got to draw the line somewhere, and this is it.”

Peregrine glared and stalked towards Hal, pushing Robin’s hands aside when he tried to grab at his older brother. “You’re not the boss of me, Lantern. If I take orders from anyone, it’s Batman, not you.” He emphasized his point, stabbing two  fingerstriped fingers into the lantern symbol on Hal’s chest.

“And I get that, but do you want Robin involved in something like this?” Hal waved at Robin who was scowling as he looked back and forth between the two older men. “Would Batman want his youngest son in a situation that could go very badly very quickly? Or would you rather you get him somewhere safe, in case something does happen to him?”

That had Peregrine pausing, hand dropping back to his side, where it started tapping at the pocket at his hip. He looked over at Robin, head titling a bit as he regarded the smaller vigilante. “Fine, you’re right.” Peregrine placed his hands on his hips, scowl slowly morphing into a grin. “Okay, Rob and I will draw the normal crook’s attention, keep them off your back. You deal with the crazy Aliens, and just make sure you get B out.”

“I’ll do my best.” Hal saluted the two young sidekicks. “Now go do what it is that Robin’s and former Robin’s do, and go make nuisances of yourselves to the nice men with guns.”

“Oh, I think we can accomplish that.  Whaddya think, Robin?” Peregrine’s smirk was matched by the anticipatory grin that was spreading across the younger teens. “He says yes.”

Hal laughed and flew over to ruffle both of the tops of their heads, messing up already dishevelled hair. “Good. Go annoy someone else for five minutes, I got important business.”

Both teens shoved his hands away as they headed back up the hall. Robin ran on ahead, heading for the stairwell, a line already wrapped around his hand. Peregrine paused, looking back over his shoulder, a somber look on his face. “You will bring him back, right?”

“I’ll do my best, kid.”

“Good.” Peregrine nodded once, before his guarded expression slipped back into the casual teasing grin that Hal suspected was just as much part of his uniform as the Kevlar was. “Don’t think you’re out of the woods with knowing who we are too,  Glowstick . We’ll be having that conversation later.”

“Look forward to it Feathers. Oh hey, one more thing before you go...”

* * *

Batman ducked behind a row of C-cans, wincing as the move aggravated the injuries he had already sustained. He had managed to free the trapped Alien, but in the being’s confusion and rage they had attacked him. The armour had taken most of the hits, though he was sure he had several bruised ribs, the explosion that followed had done considerable damage. He flung his cape over his face, turning his back, as something big exploded in the distance. He blinked in surprise when all he felt was the ruble of the blast. No debris, no smoke, barely a shockwave. He uncovered his face to find himself surrounded by a sea of bright green.

He looked over his shoulder and met the smirking face of the Green Lantern. “What are you doing here? Where’s Robin?”

Hal stepped through his shield easily enough, and Batman watched as a piece of pipe bounced off at the same moment. “He’s with Peregrine. Keeping our trigger-happy friends upstairs busy. I’m here to help you.”

Batman scowled behind the cowl, pulling out several bat-shaped throwing knives and smoke bombs. “I don’t need -”

“Help, yes so you’ve said. The smoking cape, and bloody and dented armour say otherwise, but I’m not just here for you, Spooky.” Hal rolled his eyes, and let the shield drop, once the debris had stopped flying. When nothing else flew at them immediately, he peaked around the C-can carefully. “I’m here to do my job and get that guy home. And I made a promise to Peregrine to make sure you get back to those two kids upstairs, who have lost enough to last a life time. So, I’m hoping that we agree on the fact that they don’t need to lose another father-figure, and you will take the help I’m frigging offering. Yes?”

The pair stared one another down for several moments, while the former captive continued to wreck-havoc on the sub-basement they had tried to contain them in. “You know who we are?”

“Yeah, not as dumb as the outfit makes me look.” Hal rolled his eyes behind his mask and peaked back around the container, ducking back quickly when a wooden crate came flying at him. “Now can we move on from **that**, and deal with  ** this ** ?”

This, just happened to be another crate flying towards the pair. Hal quickly manifested a giant slingshot, sending it straight back at their accidental adversary.

Batman nodded once before he darted out, throwing the knives clenched in his fist towards the lights, plunging them into darkness, save for the glow coming off of Hal. “You can understand what he’s shouting about?”

“Yeah and the Ring translates both ways. I’ll deal with the King Kong wannabe; you get the goons rushing the door.” Hal flew off before Batman could protest, fly-tackling the Alien, taking them both further into the sub-basement. Batman rolled his eyes as he tossed the smoke bombs at the approaching gunmen, and waited for the smoke to spread before striking.

* * *

One Hour Later: 

An explosion rocked across Gotham, shaking the foundations of many of the buildings surrounding the Lex Corps building. Smoke and fire billowed out from the ground around it, as pavement crumbled in on itself, falling into the fiery abyss that the basement levels of the building had become.

Peregrine grabbed the back of Robin’s cape, keeping him from leaping off the building as a second explosion ripped through the air. “ Leggo o’me Dick!”

“There isn’t anything we can do right now, Little Wing.” Peregrine wrapped the yellow and black cape once around his hand planting his feet.

Robin whipped around, trying to pull his cape out of his older partner’s hand. “So what? We  jus’sposed to sit up ‘ere, wit’ our thumbs up our asses?”

“We’ll just have to trust the Lantern to keep his promise.”

“Since when do we trust others  t’do our job for us!” Robin tried tugging at his cape again, still not breaking the grip Peregrine had on it.

Peregrine’s eyes narrowed as he tugged back hard, pulling Robin off his feet. “Since I don’t want to deal with the possibility of losing a brother tonight as well as a father, I-”

Peregrine was cut off by a third smaller explosion, and the pair watched as two objects ricochet away from the fast crumbling building. One a small sleek silver craft, heading west, the other a glowing green ball of energy, slamming into the pavement, before bouncing out of sight down a side street.

Both boys turn to one another with wide eyes, and reached for their grapple lines simultaneously, swinging after what they hoped was their father, and new friend, alive, and mostly whole.

They landed in time to hear Batman get into the swing of his tirade, and didn’t bother to conceal their relieved smiles at hearing the annoyance in their mentor’s voice , as he pulled himself out of the crater the Lantern's shield ball had made. 

“ -idiotic waste of the gifts you’ve been granted . What part of  _ wait for my signal _ was hard to follow? I’m impressed you can breathe and walk at the same time.”

“Oh don't even try that shit with me, Spooky . ” Hal floated himself out of the crater, dusting dirt and refuse from his suit,  glaring down at the scowling Bat. “ Who’s idea was it for me to  set off that first explosion, huh. Not mine , that's for damn sure.”

“Maybe your idiocy is contagious.”

“It’s called  ** _ fun _ ** , robocop. Maybe you should try it more often?” Hal glanced up when he heard scuffling feet on the fire escape above them, seeing the dirty, grinning faces of Robin and Peregrine. “You r kids seem to have the right idea.”

Batman looked up then, scowl fading into something like relief as his  protégés descended to the alley floor. Robin immediately leapt, bouncing off a railing to land  at the Bats feet, grin wide, bright and relieved. Peregrine landed next to the Lantern, holding up a fist,  “Thanks, for getting him out.”

Hal grinned, bumping the raised fist with his own. “No problem, kid. Call me up  the  next time  you guys find yourselves facing extra-terrestrial shenanigans . I’m so down for playing again.”

“Sure, we’d be happy to -”

“Hold on a second Peregrine, I didn’t agree to -”

“Can he B? His  glowin ’ weirdness is really handy  inna fight.”

“No, I -”

“Oh come on, Boss, you have to admit, he wasn’t useless.”

Hal’s head whipped back and forth, like he was watching a tennis match, as he tried to follow the thread of conversation, grinning as the two young vigilantes defended him. “I feel like I should be offended, but this is much too entertaining. Yeah,  ** B ** , don’t be such a stick in the mud.”

“You, don’t get to call me that.” Batman growled, bristling, and pointed one gauntleted finger under a grinning Hal’s nose. He sighed when the man didn’t seem to be intimidated in the slightest. He dropped his hand back to his side, glancing between his two partners. Dirty, bloody, uniforms torn, but alive. All thanks to the glowing green space cop that had invaded his city, figured out his-their secret, but hadn’t acknowledged it at all.

He let his head drop back, staring up at the sky, mouth twisting into a disgruntled frown. “Fine, I’ll think about it.” The cheers from his two sons and the laughter from a surprised Lantern, had a small, secretive grin tugging at his own face, and he was thankful, not for the first time, that the night hid it. It wouldn’t due for the general public to discover that the Batman of all people had a sense of humour, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> This is another one of those things that will be worked on periodically. An AU of sorts. The Bats aren't in the League, mostly keeping to themselves. Gothamites believing that they're just an urban legend talked about it hush whispers. Batman, the night incarnate. Nightwing, sharp smiles, puns, and sharper words. And Robin; a mean right hook, and a meaner temper, with a laugh that makes even hardened criminals nervous.  
Through a series of strange events Hal is eventually the only member of the League the Bats wil work with if it's necessary. He also finds that he's the only member of League allowed in Gotham unimpeded.  
Lots of humor, fluff, and angst will eventually abound. Enjoy this first half. I'll try and finish the next part soon!


End file.
